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February 28, 2015
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Controversial Westmount sale may go to public vote
This Week HORICON
By Thom Randall thom@denpubs.com QUEENSBURY Ñ The pending sale of Warren CountyÕ s Westmount nursing home to a private company Ñ which moved forward this week by a vote of the county Board of Supervisors Ñ may be decided by the public instead of county leaders, if a group of area citizens have their way. On Feb. 20, the county board Ñ in a split vote preceded by contentious discussion Ñ approved enabling legislation that paved the way for the sale of the home to a spinoff corporation of Centers for Specialty Care Group of New York City, which has recently changed its name to Centers Health Care. The county supervisors approved a local law that allows them to sell the home without a formal bidding process or auction, enabling them to proceed via the Ò request for proposalsÓ option the board has conducted. This local law, however, is allowed under state law accompanied by the stipulation that citizens could force a public referendum by presenting enough signatures requesting that one be conducted. Thursday, Travis Whitehead CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
Higgins feted for volunteer service PAGE 2 ON THE LAKE
Snowmobile sinks during event PAGE 4 CARNIVAL
Members of the Galloway Gaelic Pipe & Drum Band, a favorite in the North Country, march in the 2014 North Warren St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The group is scheduled to participate in this year’s edition of the event, set for Saturday March 7. For full story, see page 3. Photo by Brandon Himoff
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Volunteers sought for disease outbreak drill
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LETTERS
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By Thom Randall
COLUMNS
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thom@denpubs.com
OUTDOORS
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SPORTS
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CLASSIFIEDS
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QUEENSBURY Ñ Warren County health and emergency officials are staging a first-ever exercise in mid-March to test how theyÕ d respond to an epidemic, and they are asking individuals and groups
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in the area to sign up now to participate in the event. Warren County Public Health office will be conducting an emergency preparedness exercise from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday March 12 at the Queensbury Community Center, 742 Bay Road. Five hundred people are being sought to participate. Schools, civic organizations, employees of busi-
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nesses and individuals are all encouraged to sign up for the event. People can merely show up on the day of the event, but pre-registration is preferred. To sign up, call 761-6580 or email Dan Durkee, county Public Health Emergency Coordinator, at: durkeed@warrencountyny.gov. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
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